Vulcan philosophy
Vulcan philosophy revolves around the concept of logic. A Vulcan's life objective is to suppress and control all emotion to render a purely logical being. This difficult task is attained through meditation and discipline. As Vulcans reach maturity, it is customary to train under the tutelage of a Vulcan master in the Kolinahr ritual, to purge themselves of remaining emotions. The father of Vulcan philosophy is Surak, (TOS: "The Savage Curtain") who helped lead the Vulcan people out of a time of destruction and violence into their new era of peace. His introduction of logic and emotional discipline ushered in the Time of Awakening. (TNG: "Gambit, Part II") These ideals were forgotten by many Vulcans around the 22nd century, leading to a corrupt governmental system. Unknown at the time, their government had been infiltrated at the highest levels by Romulan operatives, misleading the population with a distorted version of Surak's teachings. A small faction called Syrrannites, founding their philosophy on what was believed to be his true works, discovered Surak's original texts, restoring the society he had built. Other works related to this philosophy are Kiri-kin-tha's First Law of Metaphysics ("Nothing unreal exists") and T'Plana-Hath's statement that "Logic is the cement of our civilization with which we ascend from chaos using reason as our guide." (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home; ENT: "The Forge") The Philosophy discussed here mostly is that followed by Spock and the majority - the Tu-Surok. Tu-Surok is only one of three main branches to take root after Surok’s time. Tu-Surok aims for the divorce/suppression of emotion and eventual Kolinar. Tu-Jarok aims to understand emotion by diving headlong into it and winning against it; the V'tosh Ka'tur may have sprang form this. Tu-Nirak attempts to find a balance with Logic in control. Tu-Surok has its own extremists - T’mors’s One Mind Cult believes in predestination and thinks they have proven it. Important to all three is the ancient, even to Surok, concept of the Internal Chorus; all the voices of disparate parts of ones self and the more modern IDIC; In Infinite Diversity Infinite Combinations. Sort of Live and Let Live. Vulcans embrace cultural and racial diversity, as again evidenced through the IDIC. Vulcans also embrace a pacifist philosophy, going so far as to follow strict vegetarian diets to avoid killing even non-sentient animals. Vulcans believe that the needs of a very large group should go before the needs of a very small group or any individual. (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan; VOY: "Endgame"; ENT: "The Council") T'Pol gave Captain Archer a book on the subject, The Teachings of Surak, to read during shore leave on Risa. (ENT: "Two Days and Two Nights") Vulcan Philosophy was a topic of study at Starfleet Academy by the 24th century. (VOY: "In the Flesh") Because Data was not affected by feelings or emotional considerations, he considered himself closer to being Vulcan than Human; however, he was not attracted to Vulcan philosophy. He felt that although their devotion to logic had a certain appeal in its simple purity, he found overall that their devotion to be a somewhat stark philosophy, lacking beauty and joy. (TNG: "Data's Day") :"The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one" is a fundamental element of Vulcan philosophy. It's also a quote from John Stuart Mill. See also * The Teachings of Surak, Terran-edition * Beyond the Galactic Edge, Humanity's Quest for Infinity * A Cave Beyond Logic: Vulcan Perspectives on Platonic Thought External Links * * * Philosophy, VulcanPhilosophy, Vulcan